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J. B. HAWKINS. FASTENER FOR DQORS OR THE LIKE. APPLIGATION FILED NOV 1*: 1903 no MODEL.

q vifucaoca mi on 45 p UNITED STATES Patented February 16, 1904.

JAMES B. HAWKINS, OF SLATER, MISSOURI.

FASTENER FOR DOORS OR THE LIKE.

SPECIFTGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 752,166, dated February 16, 1904. Application filed November 1'7, 1903. Serial No- 181,5 4=2. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AMES B. HAWKINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Slater, in the county of Saline and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fasteners for Doors or the Like, of which the following is a specification.

The primary. object of this invention is the provision of a fastener for securing screendoors or gates, and which will maintain a predetermined position and not flop around, as

. 1 is the case with hooks and hasps, to the annoyance of the user and the detriment of the article to which the fastener may be applied. The hook commonly employed for securing screen-doors and gates is loose and free to move in every direction; hence mars not only the door, but the jambs or easements thereof; hence is very objectionable.

This invention provides a fastener of the type which when not in position for securing the door is positively held out of the way and when turned into position for securing the door is adapted to be manipulated and when engaged with the eye or staple is held in place by the same spring employed for holding the hook closed when turned aside out of the way.

The fastener comprises a frame,a hook pivoted to the frame, and a spring interposed between the frame and hook and adapted to hold the hook closed out .of the way or open and in positive engagement with the eye, staple, or like cooperating part.

The invention consists, essentially, of the structural details and novel features which hereinafter will be more particularly set forth, illustrated, and finally claimed. 1

In the drawings hereto attached and forming a part of the specification, Figure 1 is a perspective. view of a fastener embodying the invention, the hook being shown extended. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section, the full lines showing the position of the hook when closed and the dotted lines indicating the position of the hook when extended oropen. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the fastener, the full and dotted lines showing difierent positions of the hook when extended. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the hook.

5 Corresponding and like parts are referred which it cooperates.

to in the following description and indicated in all the views'of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The frame is indicated at 1 and is oblong and provided with outwardly-extended lugs apertured to receive fastenings for attachment of the device to the article or part with The cross-bar 2 is provided near one end of the frame, and the proximal end bar is cut away on its rear side, as indicated at 3, to receive the end of the flat spring, 4:, which passes over the cross-bar 2 and has its free'end arranged to engage with the head 5 at the inner end of the hook 6. The side or. longitudinal bars of the frame are widened near one end and transversely apertured to receive the pin 7, upon which the hook 6 is mounted.

The hook 6 may be of any construction, and the head 5 may be an integral part thereof or applied thereto in any manner. The inner or butt end of the head 5 is flat and is adapted to receive the pressure of the spring 4, so as to hold the hook extended. The sides of the hook 1 are similarly formed and are straight to receive the pressure of the spring 4:, so as to hold the hook closed. A shoulder 8 is provided near each end of the butt of the head 5 to form a stop to prevent closing of the hook away from the frame. Hence the hook when closed or folded lies close against the frame, as indicated most clearly in Fig. 2, and is reversible to admit of the fastener being used as a right-hand or a left-hand latch, the change being effected by removing the pin '7 and turning the hook 6 so as to cause it to face in an opposite direction. The opening 9 provided in the head 5 for the reception of the pin 7 is elongated length-wise of the hook to admit of vertical movement of the hook at its free end, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, whereby provision is had for engaging the hook with the eye, staple, or like part (not shown) commonly provided for fasteners of the hook type to engage with. In order that the frame may be of a minimum width and the hook have a maximum movement at its outerend without materially weakening the parts, the widened portions of the longitudinal bars are flared upon their inner sides, as-indicated at 10, and

the inner portions are rearwardly flared, as indicated at 11.

The spring 4: is flat and preferably tapered throughout its length and sufliciently stout to Withstand the strain and insure stability. The wider end of the spring is passed over the cross-bar 2 and engaged under the cut-away portion 3 of the proximal end bar, the smaller end of the spring being arranged to bear against the inner flattened or butt end of the hook. When the hook is extended, as shown in Fig. l, the free end of the spring 4: bears squarely against the straight or flattened end of the hook and holds the latter in place against casual lateral or vertical movement, while at the same time permitting the outer end of the hook tobe moved vertically to engage with or be disengaged from the eye, or staple, or like part (not shown) with which the hook cooperates. When the hook is closed, the outer end of the spring exerts a pressure against the straight side of the hook and prevents casual movement thereof.

Having thus described the invention, is claimed as new is 1. In a fastener, the combination of a frame, a hook pivotally connected thereto, and a flat spring cooperating with the hook to hold the what same either open or closed, the parts being constructed to admit of tilting movement of the hook at its outer end when extended, the

a hook pivoted an elongated opening,

said spring maintaining the hook when extended in a predetermined position, substantially as set forth.

2. In a fastener, the combination of a frame, thereto and having its buttend straight, a spring for holding the hook either open or closed, and a stop applied to the butt-end of the hook to prevent closing of said hook away from the frame, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination, a frame, a hook having a pin pivotally connecting the hook with the frame and passed through said elongated opening, and a spring exerting a pressure upon the butt-end of the hook to maintain the same in the required position, substantially as set forth.

4. In combination, a frame having its side bars flared rearwardly and outwardly, a hook mounted between said side bars aboutin line with the juncture of the oppositely-flared portions both for pivotal and tilting movement, and a spring for holding the hook in a given position, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES nnAwKms' [L 8.

Witnesses:

S. B. BURKS, M. MUNIS. 

